


OBX

by bjfic_archivist



Category: Queer as Folk (US)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Canon
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2006-07-26
Updated: 2006-07-27
Packaged: 2018-12-27 14:25:10
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 7,830
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12082929
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/bjfic_archivist/pseuds/bjfic_archivist
Summary: The group takes a vacation to the beach.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Note from IrishCaelan, the archivist: this story was originally archived at [The Brian/Justin Fanfiction Archive](http://fanlore.org/wiki/Brian_Justin_Fanfiction_Archive). To preserve the archive, I began importing its works to the AO3 as an Open Doors-approved project in September 2017. I posted announcements, but may not have reached everyone. If you are (or know) this creator, please contact me using the e-mail address on [The Brian/Justin Fanfiction Archive collection profile](http://archiveofourown.org/collections/bjfic/profile).

  
Author's notes: Takes place in the months after 'Hiccup', but you don't need to read that to understand this.  


* * *

OBX  
 **  
The Invitation**  

"What the fuck is this?" Brian was looking through the mail. He had just returned from the city, and was planning a long weekend at the WV house. The entry way was empty and his voice echoed up the stairs. No one answered him. "Christ, what is that crazy woman planning now?"  
The envelope he was holding was florescent pink, he turned it over and saw that it was already opened. ‘Justin’ he thought to himself. He took out the matching florescent letter inside and read: 

**We’ve had enough !**  
Come with Carl and me to the beach  
August  
The Outer Banks, NC  
After a season of ups and downs for all of us, we could use some  
REST AND RELAXATION.  
I’ll cook  
We can rent a big house with room for everyone  
I’m giving all of you lots of time to plan for this so tell me as soon as you decide  
-and don’t make me have to convince you why you should come!  
Love, Deb and Carl 

Brian folded the flyer back up and shoved it into the envelope. "Christ, this may just be the death of me." He was speaking to himself. He moved through the house, dropping things as he went: coat in the closet, briefcase in his office, blackberry on the docking station. He stopped in the kitchen to grab a beer, then headed upstairs to change. He wasn’t ready to talk to Justin about this, or his lousy day, so after he changed he went back downstairs to the living room. 

The snow was getting heavier outside. It was partly to blame for his dark mood. His trip home was lousy. He took his time making the fire, using the simple task as therapy. He was settled on the couch nursing his beer when he heard the elevator behind him. He made no effort to move, but listened with his eyes shut as Justin moved into the room. 

"Hey, when did you get home?" Justin crossed over in front of Brian to stand by the fire and look at him. He was dirty from working in his studio, paint smudges everywhere. He moved smoothly, using only one gimpy. ‘A good day’ Brian thought to himself. 

"I just got here a little while ago. I’m in a shitty mood right now, so I didn’t go looking for you. Give me a while to decompress."  
Justin nodded and without a word turned to watch the fire. 

Brian broke the silence, "I know I don’t really even need to ask, but what do you think about our lovely invitation?" 

Justin turned, moved to the couch, and sat down next to Brian. He took his beer and finished off the dregs before responding. "What do you mean you don’t really need to ask, what do you think my response will be?" He watched the fire without looking at his partner. 

"I think you think this is a great idea. I think you would love to do it. I think you might already have it marked on our calendar." Brian looked straight ahead without looking at Justin. 

"Well, you’re partially right. I think it could be a great thing. I’ve never been to the Outer Banks. I think it would be fun. But I’m also scared shitless to be with family, stuck in a house for an entire week, with all my baggage, so I’m torn." Secretly, Justin thought the trip could be fantastic but he would need to put some sort of spin on it that enabled Brian to be motivated too. 

Silence fell over them again. 

Brian put his hand around Justin’s shoulder and pulled him closer until their heads touched. "We are somewhat in agreement. I don’t think it will be fun if we let Deb do all the planning. But let me take care of that. If you want to go, we’ll go, but on my conditions and terms - not Deb’s. And fuck the whole ‘baggage’ thing. Both of us have plenty of baggage, can’t let it hold you back. Let’s think about this, you’ll be leaving for Sedona to deliver those murals to your client in a month. I’ll go with you, we’ll see how it goes. That will be the template for the family trip. And if we get a house big enough, and with enough amenities, the family will not bother me too much." 

Silence permeated the space--the only sound was the log crackling in the fireplace. 

"Brian, that’s a lot of ‘ifs’. ‘If’ the Sedona trip goes well, ‘if’ you can find the right house, ‘if’ we can put up with everyone, maybe too many ‘ifs’. I can think of a million reasons why I want to go, but the few ‘ifs’ are holding me back." Justin sighed loudly and squeezed Brian’s leg. 

"Think on it awhile. Switch topics. How was your day dear?" Brian’s question came out in his endearing falsetto voice. 

Justin laughed, "It was good. I finished the mural, only one more to go. That last one is all sketched out, I’ll probably start work on it over the weekend. I did laps this morning, and Amy says I’m finally back up to my ideal weight, so she’s adding more to my workouts. How about you?" 

Now it was Brian’s turn to laugh, "Well, I left work early in hopes of getting out here earlier, but the fucking snow put a halt to that. I had a client walk out on a presentation for ‘religious’ reasons. Whatever the fuck that means? We signed two new clients in Raleigh, but they are still struggling, I might have to go back and spend some time there. I got olive oil on my tie. Cynthia is pregnant. And Ted says Blake might have to have his appendix out. Like I give a shit about these things that will only cause my employees to abandon me." 

Justin smiled into Brian’s neck and whispered in his ear, "You really do live the hardest life in the universe don’t you?" 

"If only more people understood that, life would be better for me." He guffawed out the last bit of the sentence, recognizing how ludicrous it sounded. 

"Okay, so Deb’s already called once asking what our answer is on this one. She said if we sign on, everyone else is sure to do it. So since the whole world is against you already, add this to your plate, too. Don’t make her wait too long." Justin’s spin seemed to work, the trip might actually happen. He waited. 

"Fuck it, tell her we’ll go. Tell her to let me find an adequate house. Tell her we’ll cover the cost of the rental. Tell her that she and the rest of the group will cover the cost of food. I don’t want to deal with a pissed Deb. That just trickles down to a pissed off Mikey, then finally a pissed off you. I don’t need that." Brian let his head fall back on the couch. 

Justin kissed him. He nuzzled into the soft spot where his collar met with his neck. He ran his hand slowly up and down his leg. He was smiling. His spin had worked. And while he did have some reservations concerning an adventure like this, he wanted to give it a go. ‘Who knows’ he thought to himself, ‘Brian might just have a good time.’ 

"You know I’m about going nuts here and for all the generosity I’m showing, you could at least share some of your wonderful skills with me, to improve my disposition." He cupped the back of Justin’s head and brought his mouth to his partner’s. Their kiss was deep and sensual. 

"It could be worse, she could be asking us to join her on a trip into the seventh level of hell in Orlando Florida, mouse ears included. I’d be only happy to help you maintain your mental stability." True to his word, Justin was happy to oblige him all weekend long. 

The next week opened in a much happier place in terms of Brian’s mental stability. 

 


	2. Chapter 2

Everything in a nutshell leading up to the trip

That Sunday Brian spoke with Deb about their trip to the Outer Banks. She was willing to hand over selection of the house after she heard he was willing to foot the bill for the house he selected. Brian spent time in the evenings looking on the internet at rentals, but eventually enlisted the help of a rental agency located in the area to help him narrow down his options.

He settled on a house in the area of Pine Island. It boasted so many amenities it was its own mini-hotel. It was a four level house. The ground level had a full kitchen, three bedrooms, a pool table, access to the beach, a private pool and 10 person hot tub. The second level contained five large bedrooms, and a theater room complete with seating, wet bar, and a wall mounted screen. The third level had another master bedroom, a large kitchen and dining area, living room area, and unobstructed views of the sound and the ocean. The fourth level boasted a widow’s walk and an exclusive glass enclosed master suite overlooking both the ocean and sound. The ocean side of the house had large decks, giving every bedroom direct access to the pool, hot tub, and the ocean. The house boasted private bathrooms with every bedroom, an elevator, putting green, wireless internet service, and access to laundry and grocery services. Brian chose to purchase the laundry and grocery service package. The group would have to do very little except relax while on vacation.

Brian sent out his own invitation packet to the family. He had reserved the house for two weeks in late August, and the invitation asked that people respond promptly to tell him when they would be coming. It also included detailed maps, driving directions, and a description of the house. There was information on popular tourist destinations in the area, dining opportunities that should not be missed, and local night life choices.

Within days of their mailing everyone contacted Brian. The two week reservation gave many family members the option to take a ‘long weekend’ at the beach rather than commit to a whole week. Brian confirmed that Gus would come, he would be with Brian and Justin for the summer doing an internship in Pittsburgh. Jenny Rebecca would not be able to come because she was doing a summer outreach program in Chile. Melanie was going with their group. That left Lindsey free to come to the Outer Banks for the entire two week period. Debbie and Carl chose to come the second week, as did Michael and Ben. Emmett and Drew, Hunter, Jennifer, and Molly were all coming for a long weekend in the middle of the two week period. Ted and Blake would be there for the first week. Everyone expressed concern over Brian’s offer to pay for the lavish house. He scoffed and said it wasn’t much, he needed something that big so they wouldn’t get on his nerves. He had to work on his tan in peace and quiet.

Over the next few months talk always touched on the ‘family trip’ as excitement for it grew. Justin and Brian went to Sedona to deliver Justin’s murals in person. The trip went well. Since they had been able to fuck on the Red Rocks on several occasions, Brian considered the trip a success. Because his aches and pains did not slow him down, Justin considered the trip a success as well. Brian ended up spending most of the month of June in Raleigh on business. Meanwhile, Justin was invited by a fellow artist to come to Monterey, California. There he observed a summer program and was wined and dined into agreeing to participate in the program next summer. Gus stayed at the loft and worked at the Grassi House with Debbie. Michael went to the annual comic convention in Orlando and made a huge killing on a first addition obscure comic he was selling. Ben took a quick trip to Hunter’s place, then came back to teach second term summer classes. Emmett stayed consistently busy all summer with a bustling wedding season. Drew was happy in his role as sports commentator in the evening time slot of the local ABC affiliate out of Pittsburgh. Lindsey had a tough time parting with Gus, and secretly counted down the days starting in early July to when she would join him. Jennifer stayed busy with many families moving in and out of the Pittsburgh area. And finally Ted and Blake stayed busy as well, Ted working at Kinnetik, Blake counseling.  
Early in August Blake’s appendix ruptured and Ted had to take some time off of work to care for him. It was touch and go if they would be able to join the group on their trip. Blake’s doctor gave him the thumbs up to go just days before they were scheduled to leave. He was ordered to take it easy and continue to rest. Brian threatened to take away Ted’s scheduled leave, since he had taken off so much time to be with his partner at the hospital, but it was all a front. Ted did not even get worked up over it.

Snapshots of the trip

1\. Packing and driving:

"Brian, take this suitcase with you, too." Justin handed a small bag off to Brian, who was already carrying two others.

"We’re only staying for two weeks, and we have laundry service, what the hell do we need to take all this shit for? You know the hottest gay men can travel with lube, condoms, and a change of clothing and have a wonderful time on vacation." He reluctantly took the bag and slung it over his shoulder.

"Ha, you’re funny, most of society would disagree with you. We are fashion mules, we always over pack, isn’t that how it’s supposed to work? And quit bitching, that one has the lube and toys in it, we can’t forget that one!" Justin smiled as he moved back into the closet looking for anything else he might have forgotten to pack.

Brian stopped and looked under his arm at the bag, "This is all toys and lube? This vacation is going to be okay after all."

Gus walked by with his bags, "Oh God, enough, enough, I really don’t need to hear all of this. If it’s not Mom and Mam, it’s you two." He opened the elevator and tossed his bags inside. Then he turned around and grabbed one from his Dad, helping him take the rest to the elevator.

Brian laughed and put his remaining bags inside. He motioned for Gus to wait and ran back into his bedroom to see if Justin had found anything else that had to go to the beach. There was nothing. Gus rode down alone and shuttled all the bags out to the jeep. Upstairs Brian took the opportunity for private time with Justin to do some damage control.

"It’s going to be okay you know? Last week was not a typical week for you. And Amy says you’ll do okay if you take your time. You know that right? You’re not in here getting yourself worked up are you?"

Justin walked out of the bathroom and smiled at his partner, "Yea, I know. I know. I can’t say that I totally agree with your sunny outlook, but I’m not freaking out about it either."  
Brian and Justin met in the middle of the room and Brian casually put his arms around Justin and pulled him into a tight embrace.

"It’s not such a big deal, so you had a pain seizure last week. You haven’t had one is such a long time. We know they are always hanging around, but this one wasn’t the worst. And if you have one at the beach, big fucking deal, you have one at the beach." He was whispering in his ear as he stroked Justin’s long hair. "You need a haircut, this is way too hippie long for you."

Justin pulled back and looked Brian in the eye, "I like my long hair, but maybe I’ll have Deb cut it at the beach. She cut it for me when I lived with her. You know, before you insisted I go to a ‘professional’ to have it done. She didn’t do such a bad job. Or maybe I’ll shave it like I did that one time. If I remember correctly you told me that was hot." Justin smirked at Brian, almost daring him to take the bait.

"Fuck, that was hot, but you were a lot younger then, I don’t know if you could pull it off now." Brian didn’t fall for it so easily.

"Asshole, I can feel your dick twitching right now, just thinking about that cropped hair for you to run your fingers over, to feel pricking your thighs as I suck you, to see in the ocean when I go swimming. Don’t play all cool with me, I’m on to you, remember?" Justin dropped his cane and ground himself into Brian.

Brian’s mouth covered Justin’s with a hard kiss, cutting off any further discussion.

"Yea, cutting the hair would be fine with me. But we’ve gotta stop this shit. We have a seven hour drive in front of us with Gus. I see only one option. Leave the kid to pack the car, and give me time to fuck you senseless before we go. That way we are both relaxed and ready for this adventure."

Justin’s only response was his hand slipping into Brian’s pants, finding his painfully erect cock and prodding it with his fingers.

Brian laughed a lust filled laugh, "Yea, sounds good to you too, huh? Okay, okay, give me a minute to occupy the kid." He pulled Justin’s hand from his pants and left the room.

When he returned a few minutes later, he found Justin naked on the bed, his perfect ass waving at him from the door. His head resting on the pillow looking behind him at Brian, smiling a devilish smile. "Gus was okay with packing the car?"

Brian began to remove his pants, "Yea, he called the two of us transparent, and swore to himself he would find a nice looking girl lifeguard at the beach to spend some time with." Brian chuckled, "He’s eager to get on the road, I figure we have about twenty minutes max. before he comes banging on the door and yelling for us to ‘knock it off’" Brian was on top of Justin.

"Works for me." Justin said. Then he wiggled his ass a little more, and Brian pushed into the cleft of it. Justin sighed as he handed Brian the lube, "I didn’t pack all of it."  
Brian quickly lubed himself and Justin, then ground into him. He took Justin’s breath away. "I’m gonna do this to you every single day while we’re on this freakish family outing."

Justin grunted out between thrusts, "And I’m going to do it to you, too. On the beach, at night when there’s no one around, and if we get caught, the world may finally find out that you make a perfectly happy bottom for the right man. Ah, ah, ah." Brian stopped Justin with his orgasm, sending Justin over the edge.

When they were calm, Brian kissed the top of Justin’s ear, "I’m counting on that, we’ve never fucked on the beach before. And that’s one of the primary reasons I agreed to this trip in the first place. But for now, we’ve gotta get going." With another kiss, Brian was up off the bed, moving into the bathroom to get cleaned up. Justin followed him.

Five hours into the trip, Gus watched as his father and partner oozed sensuality from the front seat. He turned off his personal DVD player, "For the love of God, pull over and let me drive. The two of you are going to wreck the car before we get there if you keep fondling each other like you are. You do realize I’m back here, and I can see you, right?"

The two of them laughed. It seemed as if this vacation might not be as bad as they envisioned it could be. It was starting off quite well.

 


	3. Chapter 3

2\. Movies at the house:

Gus’ favorite spot in the house was the theater room. On several occasions during the weekend, when the majority of the family was at the house, they would gather to watch movies in this space. Of course, when the lights went down there was some romance coming from the observers in the room as well as the screen. Deb was indulged by the family and allowed to make the selections from the extensive library of movies. She was easily swayed by the participants, and gave in to the heady demands of the crowd. X-Men movies were popular for awhile. Then it was Red Dawn, Next of Kin, and Roadhouse. Brian had a thing for Patrick Swayze. It was the Godfather and Goodfellas for Carl one evening, and even Yellow Submarine for Lindsey and Justin.

During the evening movie fests, Justin and Brian could not keep their hands off of each other. They were like giddy high school kids. The family was well aware of their struggles of the past year. They could see the physical reminders of the trauma on Justin’s body, and the psychological ones on the new way the two interacted with each other. Brian was not as detached with his attentiveness to Justin. He periodically asked if he needed anything, how he was feeling, etc. Justin was also changed--he was bolder, if that was possible, with his feelings for Brian. He exerted dominance in their relationship, making it clear to everyone there that this was a partnership not a monarchy. He didn’t give into Brian’s stubborn stupidity, and to Brian’s credit he seemed to respect Justin’s new found assertiveness.

Ted and Blake were also in a similar situation. Blake was still recovering from surgery and was somewhat at Ted’s mercy. He was still tender, and moving around was sometimes a little painful. In their relationship, Ted had always been attentive to Blake’s needs. This was not always the case in Brian and Justin’s relationship. While it was true that they were a couple, and seriously committed to each other, Brian was not the most outwardly affectionate or publicly sensitive man. But, like Blake, Justin has similar issues with pain and tenderness. Unlike Blake, Justin’s was a permanent condition caused by the accident. For Justin, Brian now showed a level of affection similar to Ted’s for Blake. The most touching part was that it was genuine, not snarky or heavy handed. It was natural and smooth. In the months since the accident everyone had witnessed these moments of affection, but here at the beach house, and particularly in the theater room, they all witnessed the new parameter of their relationship simultaneously.

On one evening Justin’s legs were hurting him. He didn’t want to leave the movie and the group, but it was obvious he was in a lot of pain. Brian, always at his side, gently rubbed his legs, trying to loosen the cramps. He did it for a long time, until Justin put his hands over Brian’s and told him ‘Thanks, they’re doing a lot better now.’

Most evenings, one or the other of them would fall asleep with their head lying against the other’s shoulder. If Justin was the one who was asleep, Brian would wake him as delicately as possible, and they would walk arm in arm to the elevator that would take them up to their room. If it was Brian that fell asleep, Justin would kiss him lightly and tell him to get up so they could go to bed. Brian would shake himself awake and help Justin back to bed safely.  
The most moving night was the night they watched Yellow Submarine. Everyone was worked up and singing along as the ‘blue meanies’ took over. As the movie progressed Justin became more and more agitated. Brian finally found out from him that he was in a lot of pain, and while he wanted to finish the movie, he also wanted to go to bed. Brian brought him some pain meds, and when the movie was over he got Justin’s wheelchair and took him to bed. The scene was not lost on Jennifer. She constantly worried about her only son, and to see his partner taking care with him, her fears were again allayed.

Of course it wasn’t always emotional scenes the group was privy to. They also caught Brian giving Justin a hand job during Roadhouse. Brian blamed it on Justin’s inability to keep quiet. Justin smiled and was secretly thankful his mother was not there at the time. On another day, Emmett heard Brian’s lust filled voice repeat Patrick Swayze’s lines into Justin’s ear. The lines were delivered while Patrick Swayze chases Helen Hunt around a table with a violin. That time the group cracked up when they heard Emmett laugh out loud and encourage the two of them to be quiet, or turn up the lights and let everyone watch.

3\. Drawing:

Justin loved the porch that overlooked the sound and the beach. And Brian’s favorite spot was the bedroom. It was completely glass enclosed, accessible only by the house’s elevator, it was almost as if they were in the top of a lighthouse, and instead of a beacon of light it was their bed that was the center of the space. The views were breathtaking. They watched the sun rise and set from their bed. Justin spent time drawing in each of the spaces.

One afternoon, he went with Michael and Ben to the Currituck Lighthouse for some typical tourist sightseeing. Brian could not be convinced to go. He stayed back at the house to continue work on his tan. While at the Lighthouse, Justin sat on a bench under the tall trees and sketched the huge monolith. It was a simple brick structure, but handsome in its simplicity. While Ben and Michael walked to the top of it, all 214 stairs, he sketched. He also did some thinking. He was really happy here. He was grateful to have the time to be with his family, both genetic and ‘adopted’. He was glad they were all getting along without any drama. He was happy to have Brian so relaxed and at ease. Brian had spent so many of the previous months worrying about business and Justin’s health, it was good to have a chance to get away from all of it.

Justin had seen how Brian watched him draw. He watched the man look from the paper, to his hand, to his face. As if looking right into his soul. He listened as Brian whispered in his ear, "This is such a part of you, this is what makes your soul live, this is what has become - for me - another reason to live. To watch you, to see you create something from inside yourself. To see you do something I could never dream of. This is what makes us perfect. We are parts to a whole, you and I. I’m glad we are still both around and together." He continued to stare into Justin’s eyes. And then as if to bring them out of the intense mood, Brian blinked, leaned in for a kiss and growled in his ear, "Now suck me off, because it’s been hours since we’ve done anything." Justin snickered to himself on the bench, thinking of the crazy sex that had followed Brian’s declaration.

Michael sat down beside him, "Hey, what are you giggling about? Are lighthouses funny?"

The two men looked at Ben who was a few feet away, taking pictures of the lighthouse.

"No, lighthouses aren’t funny, just thinking." Justin grabbed his pencils and made to clean up his supplies. He was not completely finished, but he figured he could finish it up back at the house.

Ben came over to them on the bench, "Don’t clean up your stuff yet Justin. Michael and I want to go through the gift shop. Do you want to go with us, or just keep drawing?" He knelt down in front of Michael to close up his camera and put it in his pack.

"No, I’m done. I can finish this at home. Do you mind putting my sketch pad and pencils back in your pack? I wouldn’t mind going through the shops around here either."

"Sure Justin, and I hope you don’t mind me saying this, but your drawings are really looking good. This one of the lighthouse is super, and the ones I’ve seen at the house of the beach and all of us are really good." Ben held the picture up to look at it, then turned it around so Michael could have another look before he moved to close it.

"No, I don’t mind you saying something, just don’t say anything in front of my Mom. She still gets all teary eyed when she sees what I’m doing these days. I think she still hasn’t moved past that ‘Justin is so tender, he may never...’ stage and thinks the bottom might fall out from under me. My drawing has gotten significantly stronger since I came home in December. I’m now back to where I was after the bashing damage had been dealt with. I get tired, but I have pretty good control. Mom can’t seem to get that through her head." Justin smiled and took the book back from Ben. He opened it to a sketch he had done on Hunter’s first day there. It was a shot looking down the beach with Ben, Hunter, and Michael all sitting on beach chairs wearing baseball hats and sunglasses. It was a fun, happy picture. All three had expressions of humor on their faces. "What do you think of this one?" He turned the book around to show the two of them. "I was going to save it for later, but why bother waiting. Maybe in one of these shops we can find a suitable frame for it, if you’re interested."

Michael reached out and took the pad, "Justin this is great. You caught our expressions perfectly. This must have been when we were watching Ted and Em attempt to kayak on the ocean. That was so freaking funny to watch. Look at this Ben, thanks Justin. It’s really, really great. And yea, let’s go look for a frame for it."

Now it was Ben’s turn to comment, "I know just where this is going to go, at the top of the steps, over that table in the hall. Thanks Justin, this is a great one." He leaned in to hug Justin, who returned his embrace. Michael clapped both of them on the back, and left his hands there briefly, again telling Justin the picture was perfect.

They found a frame in the second shop they visited. The three of them puttered from shop to shop until Michael’s stomach, and Justin’s knees told them it was time to go home.

 

4\. Eating Dinner:

Eating at the beach was dinner at Deb’s revisited. Heavy sweaters and coats were replaced with bathing suits, naked chests, and various levels of tanned skin. The food flowed freely, as did the drinks. There was an abundance of pasta, salad, and fresh seasonal fruit. Green vegetables were momentarily replaced with comfort foods like brownies, baked potatoes, pie, and decadent additions most of the family did not get too often. Deb had collected a set amount of money before the vacation had begun from everyone and forgone the shopping service Brian had paid for to do her own. She and Lindsey had coordinated the effort so that Lindsey could do the first round of shopping when she arrived, then Deb did the second round when she arrived. The food service was quickly turned into a drinking service, with Brian and Lindsey making a long list of wines and liquors they wanted available for the week.

Each couple enjoyed the meals in their own unique way.

Brian and Justin next to each other, Brian with his arm casually draped over Justin’s chair, Justin with his winning smile. They drank from each other’s drinks and sampled foods off the other’s plates. They were the vision of domestic bliss, and they cracked everyone up.

Gus always sat next to Brian or Justin, and Lindsey sat next to him. They were happy to be together again. Gus had never ending stories to tell about his work over the summer, and Lindsey sipped wine and listened to every one intently.

Debbie and Carl seemed to reside over the table like pseudo-mom and dad figures. Carl continued to shake his head and roll his eyes affectionately when the conversation grew bawdy, as it often did after drinks. Deb was a vision of smiles and loud guffaws as she watched all the people in her life relax and enjoy their break.

Michael and Ben continued to be the Zen couple of the group, with Ted and Blake their only competition in this category. They were eager to discuss their upcoming trip to Tibet. It had been delayed so many times it had become a family joke. But it was now a reality. In a year they would spend three weeks embarking on a trip of ‘spiritual awakening’ in Ben’s own words. Everyone wanted to hear details, and the two had never looked happier.

Hunter was recovering from a break-up with a longtime girlfriend. His mood was sometimes so somber that Brian encouraged him to go back to boyfriends instead, there was less baggage. The comment was met with cries of outrage from the group. The room filled with everyone talking over everyone else. They were all quick to sarcastically point out that indeed his relationship had no baggage any of them could see, and Brian was indeed the master of easy relationships. The assault amused Hunter and momentarily boosted his spirits.

Jennifer was quiet for most of the meals. She helped set up and clean up every meal she could while she was there. She sat next to Lindsey most days and between the two of them they finished a bottle of wine each time they sat down to a meal. She pointed out that work was fine, no, she wasn’t dating anyone, and it was just nice to see everyone, and to laugh so much. At Molly’s request, she shared the story of the time Justin tried to tape a penis he had fashioned from clay onto his sister’s belly button, because God forgot to put it on. The room broke into howls of laughter, and Brian could not resist the chance to comment on Justin’s early fascination with male genitalia.

Ted was ever attentive to Blake, who was still sensitive from his appendectomy. Blake expressed his happiness to finally be a fully accepted member of this family. He and Ted had been together for many years now, and he was thankful to have people like this motley crew in his life. This time it was Emmett who cracked up the group with his comment. He said that since they now had an addiction counselor in the family, they really needed to work on finding a good plumber or mechanic to join the fold.

And finally Emmett and Drew, who in their daily lives were busy work horses. They didn’t always get the opportunity to see very much of each other. The two were a picture of domestic bliss. Drew had returned to Emmett just two years ago. He had sowed his seeds of gay abandon and had finally returned to the man that had helped him come out of the closet. They were like newlyweds. They were never apart, and relished in the uninterrupted time they had together. They were often apart from the group, spending time alone on the beach, or tucked away in some corner of the house, reconnecting and re-energizing themselves. They were also, as Justin pointed out, after the fifteenth inquiry as to where they were, "Fucking and sucking in senseless abandon."

5\. From the outside looking in:

A picture was created in the mind of many vacationers that August. In Pine Island, most of the houses are filled with traditional upper crust families. Children, grandparents, mothers and fathers lugging stuff to the beach everyday in the time honored tradition of summer vacation. For many people it was a time to watch children play in the surf, dig holes and make castles, take walks along the shore, and try to find that one perfect shell to take home as a remembrance. This was true of their family too. However, from the start, their normal was a little different from the normal of the people vacationing around them. A normal day on the beach for them was men, outnumbering the women three to one. There were no small children in this group, just a teenager, some middle aged folks, and a couple of senior citizens.

Practically everyday it was the same. In the early morning, just before dawn, four of the men could be seen leaving the house and taking a morning run on the beach. There was a shorter dark haired man, a buff taller man, a lean dark haired man, and the teenager. While they were out on their run, the older couple would also emerge from the house hand in hand, taking their time to walk along the shore and pick up shells as they went. If anyone looked up at the back of the house, they would see a blond man sitting on the porch of the topmost level watching the sun rise and drinking coffee. Sometimes a long haired woman would join him. Once or twice if someone were looking closely they would see two men in the hot tub, doing more than just greeting the dawn. They would all retreat into the house for what could only be assumed to be breakfast.

By ten in the morning the march would begin to the beach. Because the house had a direct walkway to the shore, the group had left chairs there, saving them the trouble of lugging them in and out every day. The first to come were the senior citizens, again. They brought a cooler and an umbrella. The woman wore a large floppy hat and the man wore socks with his sandals. They would set the umbrella up, put two chairs under it, and sit down. Next came a tall man, practically bounding down the walkway with another man close behind him. They set up a volleyball net most days. Then they sat in chairs next to the couple and awaited the arrival of the rest of the crew. A woman and the teenager came next. The boy went into the water most days, while the woman joined the rest of the crew. On some days another shorter woman came with them, accompanied by a young woman who joined the boy in the water.

To the voyeur, who was attentive most of this was typical, but then they would catch a kiss or a touch that was not the ‘traditional’ kiss or touch. These were discreet and passing, but as more family came down to the beach, the dynamic of this group grew more obvious. Two of the joggers came next, the shorter one and the buff one. They sometimes came down arm in arm, or hand in hand. The familiarity and closeness could not be mistaken. They were a couple. Then a dark haired man and a sandy haired man of medium height, both of whom had not been seen outside of the house yet would walk down together. The dark haired man seemed to assist the other man from time to time. He always carried their towels and the cooler, walking slowly behind his partner, as if watching his steps. One of the last family members to emerge from the house was a single man, plodding along as if he were preoccupied with other concerns. He sat off to the side by himself, participating in conversation and games, sometimes in deep conversation with one of the couples, but obviously alone in the group.

Without fail the final two people to join the group were an odd couple. One was a jogger from earlier in the morning, the tall lean man. On his arm he brought a smaller blond haired man. The blond haired man usually walked with a cane, on some days he used two. From the moment they stepped out of the house, their relationship was unmistakable. They kissed and touched each other intimately as they made their way to the beach. They stopped to embrace and stare at the ocean, all the while engaging in discussion only the two of them were privy to. If the man with the cane faltered or reached for help, the other was right at his side, offering a hand or someone to lean on. They carried nothing, other members of the family always had towels and drinks waiting for them. Their chairs were always in place and ready. It was usually the long haired woman who brought a backpack down to sit next to the chair the blond sat in. He pulled paper and pen from it on some days and wrote or drew for periods of time.

When everyone was settled they would start to talk. Their conversations were loud and raucous. There was finger pointing, laughing, and even sand throwing. The men would get up and raise their voices to prove some unknown point, all the while garnering the approval or disapproval from the rest of the group. Even when the teenager turned on a radio the conversation would continue.

Inevitably someone would produce a volleyball. Many of the men in the group would get up to start a game. They took off their shirts, if they still had them on, and broke into two teams. At some point every member of the family participated in the games. The games, like the conversations, were loud and boisterous. There was pushing and high fives, as well as hugs and deep kisses. There was cat calling, empty threats, and dares made from one side to the other. By the end of the games someone was always thrown into the ocean or rolled in the sand. The only time the mood ever faltered was during a particularly active game. The ball popped over the net and the blond man stepped back to hit it. He lost his footing and began to fall. From the far end of the back row, the tall lean man ran to his side. To the outsider, this again proved he was intimately connected with the man. He, as well as the others closest to him, caught him before he fell. He was escorted back to his seat, where everyone doted over him for a few minutes. The tall man knelt in front of his chair, hands resting on the other man’s arms. They leaned their heads together, then they kissed, and the taller man went back to the game. The lighthearted mood quickly returned.

The group would go back to the house for meals, but spent the majority of their days on the beach. At times couples broke from the main group to walk, or sit apart. In the evening many of them returned to walk along the shore, hand in hand. While this family seemed different from many of the traditional families that vacationed on Pine Island, they were still just a family.

6\. Beach sex:

Late at night or early in the morning, they would sneak away. Of course, using an elevator made it somewhat difficult to be completely secretive. On some nights they would stay up late watching movies and then slip down to the beach. They walked for periods of time, then sat on the hard packed sand near the water. The nights were warm and the views were incredible, clear skies with stars and the moon shining on them. They talked sometimes, and never got past heavy petting. But sometimes they sat in silence, connecting on a physical level in a way words failed them. Times were spent touching each other gently, as if the other were made of glass. Other times they were rough, pounding and biting as if they were meant to devour each other. Justin topped Brian on one occasion. It was fast and furious, Justin driving into Brian as the waves lapped over their hands and legs. They ended up sprawled in the surf, filthy from their own liquids mixed with the liquid of the ocean. They were gritty with sand, and full of each other. And on as many nights as they could, they christened a different section of the beach. They were caught once, by another couple who seemed to come out of nowhere. Luckily Brian always carried a large towel that he immediately threw over them. Yes, they looked as if they were doing something intimate, but at least the couple did not see any exposed body parts. They laughed and kept going. Afterwards, on their way back to the house, they passed the very couple who had caught them. They too were engaged in an intimate embrace. Brian raised his empty beer bottle to the man and woman and said, "Touche, well done!" Justin cracked up and the two of them left the couple to continue what Justin and Brian had already finished.

At a close

The vacation came to a quiet end after two weeks. Brian and Justin bid a sad farewell to Gus, who returned home with his mom. Debbie thanked Brian over and over again, telling him that it was all she had hoped for and more. Brian and Justin drove home in relative quiet, no music from Gus, no excitement, just driving home. Progress was held up only around Washington, DC due to traffic and construction. Brian had a chance to complain and curse the other drivers who were all inept. After they were free of the city’s congestion, Justin took the opportunity to tell Brian he had a really good time. Brian nodded, and while never lowering himself to say out loud that he too loved the trip, he smiled and said, "Yea, it wasn’t as bad as I thought. But don’t even think about buying a dorky mouse eared hat. I still have my dignity."


End file.
